Dust– this is what allergy sufferers should take care of first. The hypoallergenic method involves wet cleaning using plain water and a cloth. All horizontal surfaces in your home should be cleaned at least once every 1-3 days.
Vacuum cleaners and related filters. Any filter allows dust to pass through and even more fly out of the cracks of the vacuum cleaner itself. The safest cleaning method is a damp broom, mop and rag. Allergy sufferers should completely avoid dry cleaning at home. And if this is not possible, entrust it to someone close to you when you go for a walk.
The best choice for allergy sufferers is the absence of curtains or their replacement with shutters with metal slats that are easy to clean from dust.
Dust is well retained by mosquito nets and a special filter screen will protect you from pollen and other allergenic particles.
The fewer objects in the house that collect dust (furs, carpets, canopies, curtains, souvenirs, figurines, books, soft toys), the better. It is recommended to store things in closets in special boxes or bags.
For interiors it is preferable to use synthetic fabrics: nylon, polyester, etc. They are more practical: they are not destroyed by light, sudden changes in humidity, they do not rot and have high wear resistance. Easy to maintain: they accumulate less dust, are easy to wash and clean. And they themselves are not a source of dust and allergens. The most allergenic natural fabrics are wool and fur, as well as natural and artificial materials (viscose, acetate) with pile.
Another risk factor is bedding, a potential habitat for dust mites, whose waste products can cause serious allergies. It is recommended to use hypoallergenic options instead of the most allergenic filler – "down": holofiber, bamboo, natural latex, etc.
There are special covers with locks that protect bedding from dust mites. It is best to change bedding once a week and wash it at high temperatures, and clean pillows at least once every six months.
Using a bunk bed for children is dangerous because the child sleeping underneath receives a double dose of "dust" allergens.
Mold control and prevention– an important factor in a hypoallergenic life, because molds are in 2nd place after dust mites in the list of household allergens and in most cases they act together.
If the air in the apartment is dry, more dust accumulates and it is difficult to breathe, while if there is excess humidity it contributes to the proliferation of mites and mold.
The humidity in your home can be controlled using a special humidifier. "Popular" methods of humidification include placing containers of water in the apartment, especially during the heating season, hanging wet towels, mainly on radiators. Having an aquarium or indoor fountain in the apartment serves the same purpose. Indoor plants (they should be hypoallergenic), which require daily spraying, also contribute to air humidification.
Pets.Allergies are usually caused by pet waste (fur particles, fluff, feathers, secretions) and food (e. g. dry fish food). Allergens can persist in a room for more than 2 years from the time a cat, dog, hamster, parrot and other pets no longer live in the room.
Hypoallergenic diet
The first rule of allergy sufferers is to avoid contact with the allergen if unpleasant symptoms appear and take the necessary medications. Adjusting the diet in this case significantly improves the condition of an adult or child.
Of course, if there is a food allergy confirmed by clinical diagnostic studies, the doctor prescribes a specialized diet. But there is also a non-specific hypoallergenic diet approved by doctors. It can be followed regardless of the nature of the allergen (household, insect, medicinal, etc. ) to reduce the burden on the body and speed up recovery. Including atopic dermatitis, which often worsens in winter.
Prohibited products.According to the degree of allergenicity, all products can be divided into highly, moderately and slightly allergenic.
First of all, it is necessary to exclude everything fried, smoked, salty and spicy. As well as semi-finished meat and fish products: cutlets, sausages, fishburgers, sausages, etc. , Since they contain a large number of flavoring and aromatic additives, stabilizers. The preferred cooking method when following a hypoallergenic diet: baking, boiling, stewing with a minimal amount of oil. Instead of coffee, drink rosehip infusion, light tea and plain water. To monitor your diet, keep a food diary and write down everything you eat during the day.
Recommended foods |
Products to exclude |
|---|---|
Dairy products and eggs. Goat milk. Fermented milk products (one day): kefir, acidophilus, matsoni, narine, cottage cheese (individually). Butter - younger children 10-15 g, older children - 20-25 g. (preferably melted) Non-spicy cheeses. Hard-boiled yolk at least 1-2 times a week (individually). |
Unleavened cow's milk (including dry and canned), curdled milk, fermented baked milk, cream, sour cream, children's cream cheese, processed cheese, spicy cheeses, cheeses with spices. Egg (including products containing it: mayonnaise, creams, sauces, some types of bread, sweets). If you are sensitized to mold, exclude kefir, cottage cheese, muffins, kvass and moldy varieties of cheese. |
Cereals and dishes based on them. Buckwheat, pearl barley, oatmeal, corn, rice porridge (cooked in water). Pasta (1-2 times a week). To reduce allergenicity it is recommended to soak the cereal in cold water for 1-2 hours. |
Semolina and millet cereals, Artek cereals, wheat, rye. |
Vegetables (green or white).Potatoes (soaked 10-12 hours). Cabbage (white, cauliflower, fresh). Parsley, dill, lettuce, courgettes, pumpkin, fresh cucumbers (except greenhouse ones). Boiled carrots (individually). To reduce allergenicity it is recommended to soak vegetables in cold water for 1-2 hours. |
Pumpkin, turnips, rutabaga, tomatoes, tomato sauce, radishes, sunflower seeds; eggplant, peas, beans, green peas, celery, raw onions, sorrel, pickles, sauerkraut. |
Fruit, berries (light color).Green apples, plums, white and yellow cherries, white currants, green pears. Blueberries, blueberries, cranberries, prunes. Older children: gooseberries, cranberries, bananas (individually). Peeled fruits, stored in the refrigerator, baked or in the form of compotes are less allergenic. |
Strawberries, wild strawberries, raspberries, currants (black, red), cherries. Peaches, apricots, melon, persimmon, grapes, pineapple, mango, papaya, pomegranate, sea buckthorn. Canned juices and compotes. Citrus fruits (orange, mandarin, lemon, kiwi, etc. ). |
Fats.Refined vegetable oil - up to 30 - 40 g (preferably corn or olive oil). |
Lard, cooking animal fats, margarine. Fish (red and white, smoked and salted), canned fish. Caviar (red and black). Vinegar, mayonnaise, pepper, mustard, garlic, cinnamon, horseradish, salty foods. |
Bread.Bread with bran. White (unsweetened) and black (unsweetened) bread; simple dehydrators, crackers, crackers, biscuits for diabetics. For older children: homemade yeast cake without eggs, with plums or apples. Apple jam. Marshmallow (in small quantities). |
Chocolate, chocolates, coffee, cocoa, cream cakes, rich freshly baked breads and buns, Tula gingerbread and honey, marshmallows, ice cream. Walnuts, halva, honey. |
Meat.Beef (steamed, boiled). Rabbit, turkey. Horsemeat. Pork and lamb (lean). Specialized canned food for children. The allergenic activity of meat decreases during freezing and subsequent gradual thawing, soaking and prolonged cooking. Meat from young animals is more allergenic. |
Chicken, duck, goose. Broths of chicken, meat, fish, mushrooms. Pork, lamb (fat). Veal. Liver, kidneys. Mushrooms. Sausages, frankfurters, offal, sausages, ham, canned meat. If an allergy to cow's milk is detected, beef, veal and beef liver are excluded from the diet, because Cow's milk proteins have antigenic affinity with bovine tissue products. |
Drinks. Black tea (leaf, unsweetened, without flavors and without fruit additives). Still drinking water. Juices (diluted with boiled water by 1/3) and compotes from dried fruits and fresh fruits and berries recommended above. |
Carbonated drinks. Kvass. Canned foods. Food additives (colours, preservatives, emulsifiers, flavourings). Chewing gum. |
In addition to a hypoallergenic diet, foods rich in histamine or that are histamine releasers should be excluded from the diet of people suffering from food allergies.
Histamine-rich foods:Marinated herring, strawberries, wild strawberries, peanuts, beans, game, brewer's yeast.
Histamine releasers:Sour cabbage, spinach, pork liver, dried smoked sausages, fermented cheeses, mayonnaise, vinegar.
It is recommended to follow a hypoallergenic diet for at least 7-10 days. And if at the end of this period no appreciable improvements are noticed, it is necessary to consult a doctor and carry out a series of laboratory tests. They will help establish the true cause of the allergy and differentiate it from intolerance.
I hope this information helps you create comfortable and safe living conditions. Be healthy and take care of yourself!